A former village store is set to be converted into a micro-distillery and visitor centre.
Jeff and Jessica Simpson are seeking planning consent for the development in the former Auldgirth shop and post office.
The couple operated a facility management company for 12 years but due to problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic they decided to embark on a new venture.
Jeff, 52, told the Standard: “We aim to create a micro-distillery that will produce small batch single malt whisky, gin and vodka, providing a visitor centre and tasting room for locals and tourists to avail.
“Our proposals have been well received by locals who have been extremely pleased that the commercial usage was being
continued.”
Jeff and Jessica,42, are both passionate about whisky and believe it to be a good business idea.
“It is something we both like and we have nothing to lose so why not start something different?” said Jeff.
The couple have enjoyed holidays in the region and were keen on the idea of a move.
He added: “We sold our house in Aberdeenshire and looked for another house which had the potential to allow us to start a facility on the same site.”
The couple have been in touch with Dumfries and Galloway Council about the proposal.
Jeff said: “We still have a few more queries and details to fill but fingers crossed that they will look upon it favourably.”
Jessica added: “We have never done anything like this before but for one of Jeff’s birthdays we bought a small barrel.
“What came out of it was an incredible whisky so we know we can do it.
“We had a recipe and just needed to scale it up.”
They are hoping to open the Ben Cumhail Distillery to the public by next summer.
The name comes from an amalgamation of the names of the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill and Scottish giant Benandonner that fought across the Irish sea creating the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland.
Jeff said: “This made us smile as my wife is Irish and I am Scottish.
“We have heated discussions regularly while finding a course of action to pursue but usually, this is the bedrock of some very good decisions.”
The distillery will aim to produce single-cask whisky where each batch will consist of 70-150
bottles.
Jeff added: “It will not be sold in the supermarkets either as you will only be able to purchase it online or at our future distillery.”
